Snowfall, rains predicted for 4 days

SRINAGAR, Jan 20: A fresh weather warning has been issued in Kashmir valley, where isolated to fairly widespread rains and snow would occur for four days from tonight.

A divisional administration spokesperson said here this evening there are chances of isolated to fairly widespread rains and snow in Kashmir Division from January 20 to January 24.

“There is forecast of isolated rain or snow on January 20-21, scattered rains and snow on January 22, and fairly widespread rain or snow on January 23-24,” he said.

He said that all the deputy commissioners of Kashmir Division have been asked to take necessary precautionary measures in their respective districts.

Meanwhile, the mercury in Leh town of Ladakh region plummeted by over eight degrees as night temperatures at most places in Kashmir dropped with Pahalgam resort experiencing the coldest night of the season so far.

Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 16.8 degrees Celsius last night – a drop of over eight degrees from the previous night’s minus 8.3 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department here said.

He said the town was the coldest recorded place in the state. The nearby Kargil town registered a low of minus 15 degrees Celsius, the official said.

He said the famous health resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, registered a low of minus 13.8 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s minus 12.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

He said not only was the resort was the coldest recorded place in the Valley, it was the coldest night of the season there.

The minimum temperature at the resort was also a three-year low for the month of January.